DELAYS in emergency benefit payments are creating a welfare crisis, it was claimed today.

Just weeks after welfare reforms began an increase in the number of people needing help is putting pressure on advice workers.

Glasgow Advice Information Network held a meeting to co- ordinate a response to the growing crisis, with staff saying some people are waiting longer for crisis payments.

They said people were now waiting an extra day for decisions from the Scottish Welfare Fund and meanwhile have no access to cash for food.

The meeting took place in the city for groups to share experiences and plan how they will cope with the growing demand.

Staff from Glasgow Central Citizens Advice Bureau, local law centres and money advice centres met to update each other on the impact on clients and services.

Yesterday, the Evening Times reported how people in Glasgow had received almost £8million in crisis grants and loans in one year, the highest of any city in the UK, outside London.

Labour MSP, Jackie Baillie was concerned the fund would run out as more people sought to access it. Concerns have been mounting over the impact of welfare reforms, including cuts to housing benefits and tougher rules for disability benefits.

The 'bedroom tax', a reduction in housing benefit for under occupying a rented social sector home, is also reducing the amount some families have for food.

Front line advice agencies said they are already seeing the impact of the changeover from the Social Fund to the Scottish Welfare Fund, as the most immediate impacts of welfare reform are now leaving some people destitute.

The Scottish Welfare Fund was created when Westminster handed over responsibility to the Scottish Government and crisis loans were replaced with grants.

Two discretionary payments can be applied for under the fund, Crisis Grants and Community Care Grants to provide support to people who have experienced a crisis of some kind or people who need support to live independently in the community.

Advisers said they were frustrated at not being able to help some people and worried the situation was only going to get worse.

Vincent Chudy, manager of Glasgow Central CAB, said: "In the past two weeks we have definitely noticed an increase in clients who simply do not have any money for food or electricity.

"Often this is due to our clients waiting to hear about whether they qualify for sickness benefits or when a sanction has been applied. Regularly our advisers help clients appeal the sanctions, as the clients feel they have been unfairly applied.

"If this is the case and our client is indeed not at fault, the claimant will have their benefit backdated – but this does not bring any comfort to a client sitting without money that day.

"We are particularly concerned about the time it takes to process a 'crisis' application.

"With the Social Fund we knew we would get a response that day of whether money had been awarded but it is now taking two days to hear back about an application to the Scottish Welfare Fun.

"We are increasingly having to refer clients to foodbanks, but is it acceptable we are relying on charitable donations to supplement welfare reform?"

Other staff told how they were unable to offer appropriate immediate help to some people in desperate need

Kirsty-Ann O'Hare, Glasgow central CAB adviser, said: "This week I saw a client who had no money but it would have been of no use to apply for a Crisis Grant on his behalf, my client could not go another two days without food while the application was processed.

"The only foodbank I could refer my client to was on the other side of the city and of course he has no money for travelling expenses."

A spokesman for Glasgow City Council said the system still allows for payments to be made on the same day, and the guidelines are 'within five days', but the timescale would be based on an assessment of the immediacy of the need.

stewart.paterson@eveningtimes.co.uk